Punching device



March 25, 1952 R. s. LEszczYNsKf PUNCHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 10. 1949 Fiji Patented Mar. 25, 1952 PUNCHING DEVICE Raymond Stanley 'Leszczynski Chicago, Ill., as-

signor to Guardian Electric Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application September 10, 1949, Serial No. 114,961

6 Glaims. (Cl. 30-61) This invention relates to a punching device and more particularly to a device for perforating the top of a can of the type which has partially perforated knock-out plugs or tabs.

Many commercial items are packag'ed and sold in closed containers or sealed cans, which'have provided in their tops a plurality of partially perforated knock-out tabs. The usual method of punching out these plugs or tabs is to use some pointed instrument, such as a knife, a single prong type can opener, or other instrument suitable `for the purpose. However, the use of these instruments is unsatisfactory in that since the plugs are off-center, a blow often tends to overturn the can, and sometimes results in forming an aperture of greater size than is intended or desired. This practice sometimes results in the instrument slipping, with the resultant possible injury to the user, or injury to surrounding objects, or in spilling some of the contents of the can. The same hazard accompanies each perforation and the entire procedure is time consuming. The punching operation usually requires the use of both hands, one to position the instrument and the other to strike the punch, which procedure is very inconvenient and awkward.

Thus, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel punch member, for use with cans having a plurality of partially perforated knockout plugs or tabs provided in their top; that will punch out, substantially simultaneously, a plurality of such plugs or tabs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel punch member which is designed to be used in one hand and can be easily operated and positioned by one hand.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a punch member which will distribute the force so that there is no overturning moment due to an off-center force.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a punch member which is durable, efiicient and which can be easily and inexpensively produced.

' Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and' forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the a-ccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank formed as a stamping which is to be used to make the punching device here'in disclosed;

Figure 2 is a side view of the punching device after it has been completely formed;

Figure 3 is another side view of the completed punching device, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top view of the completed punching device.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the punching device as seen in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 1, thereis shown a single stamping, generally designated by the numeral I l, from which is formed the entire punch member. The single stamping ll consists of two'body members 12 and |2a which are shown as being approximately rectangular. The two body members |2 and l2a are connected by a portion |3 which is of smaller width than are members 12 and 12a. A depression Ill is provided in each body member to accommodate the thumb of the person when the punch is being used. It is desirable that the thumb not be pinched between the two body members and hence the thumb depression Ifil is provided centrally in body members |2 and Iza.

To form the punch member, the connecting portion |3 is bent at planes substantially adj acent the body members |2 and 12a. These planes are generally designated by the numeral |5. The body members |2 and l2a are rolled so that each forms a one-half cylinder section as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5. These rolled body sections |2 and |2a are bent over at planes l5` andproject in the same direction and substantially at right angles to the remaining connecting section |3. The longitudinal edges IE and |6a. of the rolled body members lZ and Iza are juxtaposed as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5 to substantially form a full cylinder indicated generally by numeral l'l. The semi-circular edges IB and 18a at the free ends of the body members have extending therefrom a plurality of sharp pointed prongs IS. Each body member |2 and |2a has at least one prong and these are so located on the body members that when the body members are positioned in cooperating relation to each other to form the cylindrical body l'l the prongs are symmetrically disposed around the circumference of the body l'l.

The prongs |9 shown in the drawing are pointed to make the perforation of the can easier. The prongs are also splayed outwardly, from the circular contour of the body, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5. The reason for splaying the prongs outwardly is so that as the prong passes through the metal it acts as a two dimensional reamer. Since the prong tapers to a wider dimension at the base, it reams in that direction and since the prong is splayed outward from the base, reamin'g action occurs in a radial direction to insure ob-' taining a perforation of proper size. When the device is used with a partially perforated plug or tab it serves to displace the major portion of the tab out of position to enlarge the hole to proper size.

The connecting portion |3 is made wide enough to provide for comfortable engagement of that portion with the palm or heel of the hand of the person using the punch. The edges of the connecting portion 13 may be rolled slightly so as to further make more comfortable the engagement of that member with the hand of the user. The general configuration of the entire article -permits it to be easily hung upon a hook or other projecting member for availability. Since the device is made of but one piece and since the steps in manufacturing the device are quite simple, namely stamping, rolling, and bending, the punch is very inexpensive to produce.

Thus I have provided a novel punch member,

for use with cans whose tops have a plurality of i partilly perforated plugs or tabs, which can be easily and with one hand used to simultaneously punch-out a plurality of the plugs, and which results in attaining the aforementioned objects and advantages.

It is pointed out that this punch can also be used where there are no partially perforated knock-outs or tabs, as the pointed edges will easily perforate cans. Most cans have six or eight partially perforated knock-out plugs or tabs but it has been found that for practical use, the average number of perforations required is three. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown with three prongs. It will be appreciated that two, four, five, six or more prongs can similarly be provided as may be desired.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A punching device for perforating cans of the type whose tops have a series of partially perforated Knock-out plugs therein, comprising a tubular body having a bottom edge, a plurality of prongs extending from said bottom edge, the bases of adjacent prongs being spaced circumferentially from each other, and said -bottom edge adapted to engage the top of the can when said'prongs have punched through said knockout plugs.

2. A punching device for perforating cans of the type whose tops have a series of partially perforated knock-out plugs therein, com-prising a cylindrical body having a plurality of prongs extending from one end thereof, the bases of adjacent prongs being spaced circumferentially from each other, said end of the cylindrical body being adapted to engage the top of the can when said prongs have punched through said Knockout plugs, Vsaid cylindrical body member comprising a pair of half-cylinders facing each other, and means connecting said pair of half-cylinders.

3. A device for perforating can tops of the type having partially perforated Knock-out plugs, comprising a pair of body members each rolled to form one-half of a cylindrical section, a narrowed connecting portion joining said rolled body members, said narrowed connecting portion being bent at planes substantially adjacent the rolled body members, said body members projecting in the same direction, and at substantially right angles to said connecting portion, the longitudinal edges of each semi-cylindrical section being juxtaposed each other so as to form a full cylinder, and a plurality of prongs extending from the semi-circular edges of the free ends of said body members, the bases of adjacent prongs being spaced circumferentially from each other, and said semi-circular edges being adapted to engage the top of the can when said prongs have punched through said knock-out plugs.

4. A device for perforating can tops of the 'type having a series of partially perforated knock-out plugs, com-prising a pair of body members each rolled to form one half of a cylindrical section, Va narrowed connecting portion joining said rolled body members, said narrowed connecting portion being bent at planes adj acent the rolled body members, said body members projecting in the same direction and at substantially right angles to said connectingportion, the'free semi-circular edge of each body member having extendng therefrom at least one prong, and said prongs being symmetrically displaced about the circular contour of the cylinder, the bases of adjacent prongs being spaced circumferentially from each other, and said semi-circular edges of the body members being adapted to engage the top of the can when said prongs have punched through said knock-out plugs.

5. A device for perforating can tops of the type having a series of -partially perforated knock-out plugs, comprising a pair of body members each rolled to form one half of a cylindrical section, a narrowed connecting portion joining said rolled body members, said narrowed connecting portion being bent at planes adj acent the rolled body members, said body members projecting in the same direction and at substantially right angles to said connecting portion, each of the said body members having a depression therein to accommodate the thumb of the user, the

longitudinal edges of each Semi-cylindrical section being juxtaposed each other so as to form a full cylinder, and a plurality of prongs extending from the free end of said semi-circular body members, the bases of adjacent prongs being spaced circumferentially from each other, and said free ends of the body members being adapted to engage the top of the can when said prongs have punched through said knock-out plugs.

6. A device for perforating can tops of the type having a series of partially perforated Knock-out plugs, comprising a pair of body members each rolled to form one-half of a cylindrical section, a narrowed connecting portion joining said rolled body members, said narrowed connecting portion being bent at planes adjacent the rolled body members, said body members projecting in the same direction and at substantially right angles to said connecting portion, the longitudinal edges of each Semi-cylindrical section being juxtaposed each other so as to form a full cylinder, a plurality of prongs extending from the semi-circular edges of said body members, and said prongs tapering to a tip and being splayed outwardly from the circular contour of the body.

RAYMOND STANLEY LESZCZYNSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED sTA'rEs PATETS Number Name Date 580,916 Westerfield Apr. 20, 1897 1,223,485 Emery Apr. 24, 1917 1,529,856 Woods Mar. 17, 1925 1,959,862 Grisko May 22, 1934 2,029,607 Brenner Feb. 4, 1936. 

